A myriad of conditions can cause joint pain, and for some who have diabetes, joint pain is a part of their daily lives. Many people ask, can type 2 diabetes cause muscle and joint pain? The answer is yes, and joint pain can also be caused by type 1 diabetes. Luckily with the right lifestyle changes and treatment, joint pain as a result of diabetes can be treated.
Patients with diabetes can experience various types of joint pain. If you have joint pain due to diabetes, especially in major joints like your hip, it's vital to know the causes so you can receive treatment.
If you have uncontrolled diabetes and are experiencing hip pain, some physicians will consider arthroscopic hip surgery as a last resort. Diabetes and knee pain can significantly reduce your mobility, in which case, you may need to speak to an orthopedist.
Research shows a direct correlation between diabetes and joint pain. This is because diabetes can cause damage to the joints and nerves, ultimately resulting in painful conditions in the joints.
Medical professionals also link diabetes to three types of arthritis. These include:
· Psoriatic arthritis (PsA)
· Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
· Ankylosing spondylitis (AS)
We’ll delve more into the causes, symptoms, and treatment for joint pain for diabetic patients and what patients can do to combat these issues.
How Can Diabetes Cause Joint Pain?
As a diabetic, you are at risk of various joint and bone disorders. Factors like arterial disease, diabetic neuropathy, and obesity can all contribute to these medical issues.
Bone and joint disorders associated with diabetes include:
· Neuropathic arthropathy
· Diabetic cheiroarthropathy
· Osteoporosis
· Osteoarthritis
However, a diagnosis from a healthcare professional is necessary to determine what is causing your joint pain. If you are experiencing joint pain as a diabetic patient, it’s recommended to discuss this with your primary care physician (PCP).
They can assess the need for you to visit a specialist. Your insurance provider may require a referral for you to seek this type of treatment.
For example, if you have diabetes and knee pain causing mobility issues, you may need to see an orthopedist. You may also need to visit a physical therapist. Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) will require you to have a referral from your PCP.
Each of the conditions mentioned above comes with different symptoms and treatment options. General symptoms associated with diabetes and joint pain, include the following:
Symptoms
Diabetic patients suffer from a wide range of symptoms resulting from this serious medical condition. These problems worsen if patients don't manage their disease or have uncontrolled diabetes.
If you allow your blood sugar to get out of control, you risk some significant health issues along with severe joint pain. For that reason, it is vital that you manage your diabetes effectively through medical treatment and lifestyle changes.
However, even those with well-managed diabetes will struggle with many of these same issues. That is why it is essential that you understand the signs and symptoms of diabetic joint pain.
Some of the signs that you may be experiencing diabetic joint pain include (but are not limited to):
· Swelling or redness
· Tingling or numbness
· Throbbing joints
· Areas hot to the touch
· Changes in a joint's appearance or deformities
· Joint instability
· Immobility or stiffness
· Height loss
· Decreased range of motion
· Thickening of the skin
Treatment
Seeking treatment for diabetic nerve pain varies depending on how your diabetes affects your bones and joints. It also depends on other conditions (or comorbidities) you may suffer from and how you treat them.
Your medical team will need to address these health care issues holistically. This is why it is essential for you to speak to every doctor and specialist you visit regarding any of your comorbidity diagnoses.
Before speaking to your medical team, document any nerve, bone, or joint pain you may be experiencing. This way, they can put together an effective treatment plan. Document the time, location, duration, and any other significant details about the pain you experience.
Treatments your medical professionals will consider for pain management include (but are not limited to):
· Restricting weight-bearing activities
· Use of orthotic supports
· Improved blood glucose level management
· Physical therapy
· Lifestyle changes
· Vitamin supplement prescriptions
· Bone loss prevention medications
· Joint arthroplasty (or other surgeries)
· Acupuncture and massage
· Steroid injections
How Diabetic Patients Can Seek Treatment for Joint Pain
Diabetes is a serious condition that can affect the quality of your life and your overall health. If left untreated. It can lead to other significant medical issues (like hip and joint pain). Joint pain due to diabetes requires treatment from health care professionals who specialize in this area of medicine.
At the medical office of Benjamin Domb, MD, you will receive the treatment you need to relieve your pain. As an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Domb can diagnose your symptoms and discuss with you the most appropriate treatment for your diabetic joint pain.
As a nationally recognized regenerative and sports medicine specialist, patients of all ages turn to Dr. Domb for procedures like arthroscopic surgery of the hip. He is a pioneer in advanced techniques that are proven to work.
You no longer have to suffer from diabetic joint, nerve, and hip pain. The friendly medical staff at Dr. Domb's office can help.
If you are wondering if type 2 diabetes can cause muscle and joint pain or are considering other correlations between diabetes and joint pain, contact us for more information.
